Adoption Update – Submitted to IBESR

When you adopt a child from Haiti, your dossier has to go through a series of steps before you’re matched with a little one. First, it has to be authenticated here in the US. Then it has to be legalized in Haiti. Then it gets submitted into IBESR’s system. (IBESR is Haiti’s department of family and children’s services.)

We didn’t expect to hear that we had been submitted until early next year, but it seems like things are really moving along down there right now, and it’s all so very amazing to me!

It’s been one year since we first applied to adopt, and if things keep truckin’ along, it sounds like we *may* be traveling to Haiti to meet our Sweet P within the next 6 months. That will *hopefully* be the first of a few trips back and forth next year. From what I understand, we’ll have to appear at a couple of different court dates in Haiti to finish out our process in 2014 (2015?), but we’ll be able to bond with our little guy/gal while we’re there each time, too. 🙂

We spend a lot of time staring at this collage on Three Angel’s Facebook page these days:

Those little faces give me so much to think about. It’s still so unreal to me that one of them will be my babe! 😀

I’ve always felt like if I was going to have a child, it would be through adoption. I can even remember daydreaming about it several times when I was a little girl.

But now there are actual faces…and emails from friends who have cradled them all in person. There are actual voices captured on video…and very soon, I’ll know which one we’ll be hearing all around this house.

That’s so, so wild to me, y’all. 🙂

I had a dream it was one of the little boys in that collage last night. I was sitting with him on the floor in the orphanage. His back was curled to my front, and his tiny legs were stretched out on top of mine. I was running my fingertips across the tops of his baby-smooth feet. It was Haiti-hot & humid, and I figured out that he liked it when I blew on his skin in an attempt to cool him down. I can still see it so clearly: he would watch his feet as I blew towards them over his shoulder, and as soon as my breath reached them, he would squeal with glee! He’d turn to me, and I would gasp and make a surprised face, and then he would point at his feet so that I’d do it again. It was very vivid, and I’m feeling very thankful for that Image today. 🙂

The next step is to be unofficially matched with Sweet P. Once that happens, we’ll fly to Haiti and spend 14 days loving on him/her. Assuming that goes well, the next step is to be officially matched, and assuming that goes well, we’ll schedule the first of those court dates I mentioned above and fly back to Haiti for another visit.

When I sit and really think about what’s really happening (even when it sometimes feels like nothing is happening), I find myself in complete awe. It’s such a HUGE opportunity/responsibility/blessing, ya know? I was a little overwhelmed by all the options in the beginning, but right now, it feels like all we really had to do was really step into it. Things are coming together just like folks said they would, and I feel lucky to be living this out alongside them.

Last Christmas I was thankful for the beginning of this mysterious-meets-marvelous adventure. This Christmas, I’m thankful for the opportunity to continually extend one fearful-meets-faithful foot in front of the other, and to finally know (really know) this thing was Set from the start. Like it was inscribed into my life, and that there’s a whole part of my heart I haven’t met yet.

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Comments

Wow. It seems like your time for adoption is almost here. I cannot imagine the feelings you are experiencing. Your dream is just the sweetest thing. A friend of mine in Tallahassee has been sharing her her children’s adoption journey on Facebook. They just returned home from Haiti with a precious boy named Stevenson. Do you think it could be the same child from you list of pictures. It has been such a heartwarming experience for me to see Stevenson’s acclimation with his new family.

Oh Layla, you brought tears to my eyes today. “There’s a whole part of my heart I haven’t met yet” is so true. You and Kevin won’t believe how much love you have for your child, and that it is so much different than the love you have for each other. You will be great parents and I can’t wait for you to experience motherhood!

Have you heard of Be Like Brit? They have a facebook page. BRITTANY GENGEL PERISHED IN THE HAITI EARTHQUAKE. I have been following her family’s journey since then to build an orphanage in Haiti in her memory. It has now been built and they have quite a few children there. Thought you might be interested.

bless you and your hubby. I had many years ago been in the process of adopting a baby girl from Brazil. just as it was coming to a closure, the adoption agency fell apart. I was devastated. I picked the wrong agency. However, I will pray you get your precious little one soon and have many happy years ahead. I will follow it eagerly. and live vicariously through you!! Best of luck and prayers!
Linda

Oh Crimany!
My eyes got teary as soon as i read the word “ADOPTION”. I knew, from your faces, what was coming next. I started crying before I could even read these last posts.
Oh my gosh………these precious children. What gorgeous faces. Such hope ahead for your little sweet P. I am beyond thrilled and touched. Perfect timing. A Christmas to remember, for sure, just knowing what lies ahead for you and your family.
God bless your hearts.
So thrilled and thankful……..you would think I was going to be the nana!!!!!!
With love,
Ter’e

P.S. Tonight I am making your Family Spaghetti again. It sure will have special meaning!!!!!! One day you will be sharing this wonderful meal with your little Mr. Sweet P!!!!!

My husband and I were one of the first to adopt from Russia in 1994. Our daughter is now a stunningly beautiful, incredibly talented (musician) college sophomore!! It so stressful when you are going through the process but when all is said and done and they are your child you know it was Divine intervention all along. What are the chances of our lives coming together were it not? I wish I had enjoyed the actual adoption trip more and taken more pictures (of EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING) but I’m sure Kevin has that covered. When she graduated from High School she did a video for her senior project about being adopted and what a wonderful life her parents gave her. WOW. If I can ever get a copy of it on disk I will send it to you. Hugs to you for being brave.

As a step mom, I can relate to this post. You are bang on; there IS a whole part of your heart that you haven’t met yet. How wise of you to know that! I didn’t have the fore-thought of that but that’s exactly the journey I found myself on.
I hope you enjoy it immensely. It is so precious. And being a woman who hasn’t given birth to the child you love, you get to create a different bond but its just as, if not more, powerful because you won’t have some of the automatic aspects that a natural birth mom has. I’m not sure if I’m describing it correctly but I hope you enjoy it. It is indeed a gift from above.
Your blog was incredibly personal and touching. You are so brave. Thank you for sharing. Yours is a very beautiful heart. Kevin and your future little one are so lucky.
Perhaps its a bit early but I highly recommend reading books by Barbara Colorosso (Kids are Worth It / Parenting Wit and Wisdom / there are others for difficult times too) to prepare for your upcoming parenthood. They make it you think and get good discussion going between you and Kevin on subjects you may not have thought of yet. As well, I found them WONDERFUL resources when in the mid of “parenting life”. I am so proud of the amazing kid I helped to shape – and all the ways he taught/shaped me.
I look forward to sharing your joy through more of this process. What a wonderful Christmas gift. I wish you more of the beautiful Christmas presents from above this season.
Peace and blessings!
Maryjane
from Manitoba, Canada

Your blog is amazing. My husband and I have just begun our adoption journey and it fascinates me to read about those of others. Hope you’re hanging in there and that you get to meet your little one soon!

I am so inspired by your talent, but also touched by your adoption process; we adopted a little girl, now 5, from the Philippines. People would say, “Oh, she is so lucky,” but the truth is, we are the ones who are lucky. She is our heart! Usually, I don’t comment on blogs, but I wanted to send you good energy and blessings as you finalize the most difficult steps in the process. I am forever changed and humbled by the sweet child in my life, and I am so excited for your own journey.